Related Tags:

Indeed, after getting just 28 carries as a freshman, the Washington running back ran 289 times for 1,439 yards and 16 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2012.

One-year wonder? Flash in the pan? Nope. Sankey set personal bests across the board in 2013, rushing 327 times for 1,870 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also had 28 receptions for 304 yards and a touchdown.

That’s an average of 10.9 yards per catch and 6.1 yards per touch.

It appears Sankey has the college game figured out, which is why the 5-10, 203-pound back has elected to forgo his senior season and is now preparing for the NFL.

“I think there’s definitely a transition going into the NFL,” Sankey said on The MoJo Show. “Obviously the guys are bigger and stronger and faster and they do a little bit more on defense, but I feel well-prepared. So I’m still in the process of getting (ready) for that – really just trying to get physically and mentally prepared for the Pro Day and draft day. I’m excited for it.”

That preparation, of course, involves a whole lot of training. If the combine is any indication, however, Sankey’s work is paying off. The 21-year-old finished second among running backs in the bench press, repping 225 pounds an impressive 26 times. He also ran a 4.49 in the 40-yard dash – which was faster than the likes of Oregon’s De’Anthony Thomas (4.50), Baylor’s Lache Seastrunk (4.51) and Arizona’s Ka’Deem Carey (4.70).

“I’m happy with my numbers,” Sankey said. “I hit all my marks that I expected to hit, and I think it went fairly well. I caught the ball pretty well during the position drills and felt good and crisp on those. So I couldn’t be happier with my results from the combine.”

Sankey said Washington’s offense was “very pro-style” during his freshman and sophomore seasons and involved a lot of huddling. This past year, however, Washington ran a no-huddle, hurry-up offense much more frequently.

“I think I can adjust to pretty much anything,” Sankey said.

Then again, NFL scouts have a way of figuring that out. During his combine interviews, Sankey was asked questions about both his personal life and his football life. At times, he was asked to draw up plays and break down film.

“They just want to see how you react,” Sankey explained.

They’ll get another opportunity to see how Sankey reacts during his Pro Day on April 2.

“I’m feeling good about it,” he said. “Really, these past few months I’ve just been training (and) getting ready for the combine and everything. Now that that’s done, really my next focus is Pro Day. So the training continues. I’m really just taking it a week at a time – or even better, a day at a time.

“I think I’m an all-around back,” Sankey continued. “I think I’ve proven that I can tote the rock on the ground and be productive on the ground, but I can also come out of the backfield and catch some balls for you, and I also feel confident in my pass-blocking abilities. I have a good feel for what the defense is going to do.”